Lifting car dumper



Feb. 24. 1925.

1,527,468 A. F. CASI-: Y

LIFTING GAR DUMPER- VFiled Aug. 18, 1922 4 SheetsSheet '1 I Feb. 24, 1925. 1,521,468

.A. F. CASE LIFTING CAR DUMPER 4 Filed-Aug. 1a, 1922 @sheets-sut 2 2m, fw. i A

lull 1H!! 1527,468 i A. F. cA-sE LIFTING CAR BUMPER Filed Aug. 1a, 1922 f4 sheets-sheet 4 Feb. 24, 11525.4

Cil

Patented Feb. 24, 1925.

UNITED STATES` 1527,46@ PIA-TENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR `F. CASE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .ASSIGNOR TO THE WELLMAN,-SEAVER MRGANCOMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LIFTING CAR BUMPER.

Application iled August 18, 1922. Serial No. 582,596.

To'aZZ` lwhom it 'may concern:

Be it l\:nown that I, ARTHUR F. Crisis, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lifting Car Dumpers, ot `which the following is a full,`

height and turned laterally to dump the contents of the car into a suitable receiving element such as a pan designed to discharge into a boat o-r other receiving'member.

In dumpers of this type, when the cradle is lifted to the point where the turning is to take place, a pair ot pivot members at the upper corners of the cradle engage a pair ot cooperating pivot members constituting the axis about which a cradle is turned. These co-operat-ing pivot members may be fixed in the trame but usuallyv they are carried by a girder adjustable vertically on the front side of the frame in order that the height ot' the dumping point may be varied. A

lVith this construction the cradle is supported by the pivot members at its two ends only, a third or intermediate set of pivot members between the ends of the cradle being in practice impossible of use for the reason that due to the bending load on the cradle created by the car with its contents, it would be extremely unlikely that more than two ot the pivot members carried by the cradle wouldA simultaneously engage the cooperating pivot members carried by the frame. Furthermore, since the pivot members on the cradle and 'frame move into and out otengagement with eachother, i. c. are not `fastened together in Xed relation, cushioning means for checking the upward movement ot the cradle before the pivot members move into engagement is not practicable and the cradle must be brought practically to a dead stop when its pivot members are caused to engage the pivot members oit the trame.

The above construction is satisfactory to an extent tor cars Q Qldinaiy size but not at one time.

only are the cars used in handling coal increasing in size, but with certain installations the requirements are such as to malte highly desirable the dumping of two cars The eXtreme length oit a cradle which is required in handling two cars at one time renders difficult the supporting ot the cradle at its ends only, particularly while being turned, and necessitates a very massive cradle to withstand the weight and bending stresses.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a construction which will admit ot the cradle being supported intermediate as well as at its ends, both while being elevated and turned, and which is thereto-re admirably adapted for handling heavy loads and two cars at one time.

Further, the invention aims to provide a construction wherein the rate at which the cars are being handled can be increased by eliminating the necessity for bringing the cradle to a stop or to substantially a stop near theend of the upward movement of the cradle as has been required heretofore.

In accordance with my invention, l eliminate separable pivot members which move into engagement at the end of the upward movement of the 'cradle and move out ot engagement at the start of the lowering movement after the cradle has been turned back to normal position. On the other hand, pivot members having a fixed rela tion are employed7 like the members Otan ordinary hinge or series of hinges. This is accomplished in the preferred construction by hinging the cradle to a cross girder which is designed to move up and down with the cradle on guideways on the front side ot the dumper frame. The hoisting and connterweight cables are connected to the girder insteadof to the cradle as hereto-tore, and stop members are provided along the guideways adapted to be engaged by the ends of the girdei' whenthe cradle hasbeen elevated to the desired height and when the upward movement of the girder is stopped the continued pull on the hoisting cables turns the cradle with reference to the girder so as to dump the car or cars thereon.

The use of a girder which travels up and down in the dumper frame and to which the cradle is hinged or pivoted enables me to support the cradle by pivot or hinge inem.

lili) bers at a number of points along its length and in practice, at least three of these hinging members are utilized, two at the ends of the cradle and one midway between its ends.

The stop members which the ends of'the girder are designed to engage may be of the fixed or non-adj ust-able type if the height to which the cradleis elevated before being turned is not required to be varied, or they may be adjustable up and down along the corner posts of the dnmper frame. Furthermore, lf prefer to` use stop members which cushion the upward movement of the girder and avoid materialv shock when the girder reaches the end of its travel and at the same` time allow greater speed in operating the dumper by eliminating the necessity of slowing down the movement of the damper to nearly a dead stop near the end of the upward movement.

Further advantages which will be pointed ont in the specification are attained by my invention which may be here briefly summarized as consisting in certa-in novel details of construction and combinations of parts which will? be described inthe specification and the accompanying set of claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings, Fig. 1 is an end view of a dumper embodying my invention, the parts being shown somewhat conventionally; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the cradle removed from the frame and showing also conventionally the hoisting and counterweight cables; Fig. 3 is av view lool;- ing toward the front or dumping side of the damper, the cradle with its girder bei-ng shown by full lines in the lowermost position and the girder being shown also by dot* ted lines in elevated posit-ion; Fig. 4 is aA detail sectional view on an enlarged scale substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation with parts in section showing one end of the girder and a portion of the end post of the frame; Fig. 6 is a sectionalv view substantially along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged detail views in side and end elevation respectively of the spring buffers with which the ends of the girder engage at the end of the upward movement of the girder and cradle, parts being in. section; and Fig.v 9 is a sectional plan view along the line 9 9 of 8, the parts being shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings, 19 represents the frame of the car damper, which frame as is usually the case, is formed of suitable structural material and is provided on the front or dumping side which is the left-hand side of Fig. 1, with end posts 11, (see Figs. 3 and 4) on the inner sides of which are formed cradle guideways 11.

The cradle which is shown at 12 is L- sheped as usual, being provided with an upright front portion 12aL and a base portion 12b, the latter having a platen with rails 13 to receive the car or cars-to be dumped.

In accordance with the present invention the cradle is provided with a gil-der 14 extending'- across the front side 12a, which girder is guided for vertical movement in the'guides 111L of the corner posts 11. Preferably each end of the girder is provided with side thrust rollers 15 and with at least one end thrust roller 16 which are best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and engage the side and inner walls of the guideways 11a.

The cradle 12 is hinged to the girder at and intermediate its ends. Preferably it is hinged or pivoted at three points, located respectively at the ends and midway between the ends of the girder and cradle. The hinges are so located that the cradle may be swung or turned upwardly and. outwardly over the top of the girder as shown. by dotted lines in Fig. 1,v and though the hinge members may be formed in different ways, in this instance each consists of a hinge pin 17 secured to the top of theA girder and a bearing 18 secured to the front side 12a of the cradle and through which the pin extends.

Usually lifting cables and counterweight cables are connected to the ends of the cradle, the counterweightcables being connected to the ends of the front portion of the cradle, andI the lifting cables being also connected to the front portions of the cradle and passing down around beneath the cradlel so that when the lift-ing cradles are wound on the operating drums, the cradle will first be elevated in the frame or tower of the dumper and then turned or rotated about the pivot members of the frame after they l have been engaged by the pivot members of the cradle. Since the cradle is both moved. vertically and turned,` it is unnecessary that the cables be connected to the front part of the cradle by bearings which permit the turning movement. This detail, is unsatisfactory and is not necessary when the lifting girder 14 is employed, as both the lifting cables which are shown at 19 and the eonnterweight cables which are shown at 29 are connected direct te the girder 1t,these cables being attached to fixed anclmrages 21a and 22"', (see Fig. 5)'carriedhy the girdc.' and being always in the same directional relation to the girder. This is a decided advantage over the anchorages necessitated when the cables are connected to the cradle itself.

Though the details or specific arrange ments of the cables and their sheaves are im material to the present invention, it may be stated that the lifting eabl-es 19 pass about sheaves 21 which are located at the top of the frame, one part of each cable 19 passing about the under side of the cradle as is customary. In this instance each of the cables 19 passes about the sheave of a carriage 22, the lower sheave of which is engaged by a cable 23fixed at one end and passing about the winding drum 24. The counterweight cables 20 pass about sheaves 25 at the top of the frame and are connected to counterweights 26. Additionally, car clamp cables, the function of which is to hold the car on the cradle while the latter is being turned, will be provided, but these are not shown as they do not directly involve the invention and may be arranged in any of the customary ways.

As already stated, it is possible with the present arrangement to provide spring stops or buffers at the upper cradle position. This very much facilitates the slowdown which is one of the chief difficulties in lifting car dumpers as now made. The dumping hooks or separable pivot members now employed do not permit of such a spring stop arrangement and unless the cradle 1s brought to almost a dead stop the structure is subjected.

to a severe shock when the pivot members move into engagement. This isentirely avoided by my improved construction which eliminates the necessity of a careful slowing down ot the liftingor turning cables at the gime that the vertical movement ceases and he turning movement of the cradle begins. In the construction shown, the spring buffers are designated at 27, these being supported on the inner sides of the corner posts ll so as to be engaged by the ends of the `girder. As already stated, these spring buffers which stop the upward movement of the cradle may be supported in a fixed position on the corner posts, or if theheight of the dumping point is to be varied as is sometimes the case, they may be made adjustable along the posts. In this instance each spring stop or buffer includes a housing 28 containing vertically disposed springs 29, surrounding bolts 30, at the bottom of which is a buffer block 3l which is adapted to be engaged and lifted against the yielding opposition of the springs 29 by a block 32 on the end of the girder 14. The buer block 3l is enclosed in a cap 33 with projecting flanges 33 which are adapted after a pre-determined vertical movement during which the springs 29 are compressedto engage the bottom of the spring stop housing 28, the latter constituting a Xed stop which definitely positions the girder while the turning movement is taking place.

Thus it will be seen that after the cradle receives one or more cars with the cradle in its lowermost position, the cradle and its lgirder, to which the cradle is pivoted, travels vertically, with `the ends of the girder guided in the frame through the medium of the side and end thrust rollers with which the ends of the girder are provided, and

when the girder is near the upper end of its vertical movement the blocks 32 engage the buffer blocks 31, checking the upward move-- ment of the girder and allowing it to come to a complete stop with very little if any shock. `This allows a more rapid operation of the damper inasmuch as it eliminates the necessity of a very substantial and carefully controlled slow down. As soon as the vertical movement of the girder is stopped, the continued pull of the lifting cables causes the cradle to be turned on its pivoted axis with the girder until full dumping position is reached and the contents dumpedV from the car or cars, after which the cradle is turned back to normal position and with the girder is lowered to its loading position. The fact that it is unnecessary to guide the cradle itselfA in the guideways of the frame, and the fact that the guided part, namely, the girder, moves vertically only in the frame, causes the arrangement to lend itself to a desirable installation of guide rollers which would be difficult to apply to lifting dumpers as at present constructed.

Additionally by havingthe lifting and counterweight cables `connected to the girder instead of to the turningI cradle as in prior constructions,the cable anchorages are iiXed andare thereforefar more satisfactory than those. which are usedat present and which are 'so made to` permit `the `turning movement.

More important still, however, is the fact that with the present arrangement wherein the cradle is pivoted or hinged to the girder bv hinged members `which are always in engagement, I am enabled to introduce a center support for the cradle, or if desired, a number of supports between the end supports, thus reducing the span which is necessary to take the vertical bending movement caused by the car and its contents and adapting the cradle for unusually heavy loads or for dumping two or possibly even more than two cars at a time.

llhile I have shown the preferred construction only, I do not desire to be conned to ther precise details or arrangements shown, but aim in my claims to cover all such mo-dilications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention in its broadest aspects.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. In a lifting car dumper, a frame, a cradle having a portion adapted to receive a car and an upwardly extending side portion, means for moving the cradle upwardly in the frame and then turning the same to dump the contents of the car, and means for pivotally supporting the cradle during turning movement at and intermediate its ends along said upwardly extending side portion.

2. In a lifting car dumper, a frame, a cradle having a portion adapted to receive IISG a Iar and an ufpivardly extending side portion, means for moving the cradle upwardly in the frame and then turning the same to dump the con-tents of the car, and means for pivotally sup-porting the cradle during turning movement at its ends and at its center along the upper part of said side portion.

3. In a lifting car du-mper, a frame, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be elevated in the framev and then turned to dump the contents of the car, and a member extending lengthwise of the cradle at one side thereof and movable vertically with the cradle to which the cradle is connected for turning movement.

l. In aliftin-g car dumper, a frame and cradle adapted to rece-ive a car, and toI be first elevated in the frame and then turned to dump the contents of' the car, and a cradle supporting member positioned along one side of the cradle, said member extending across the` frame and at its ends guided therein, the cradle being pivoted to said member.

5. In a lifting car dumper, a frame and cradle adapted to receive a car, and to; be first elevated in the frame and then turned to dump the contents of the car, and a cradle supporting member positioned along oneside` of the cradle, said member extending across the frame and at its ends: guidedtherein, the cradle being pivoted to said member at and intermediate its ends.

6. In a lifting car dumper, a frame, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be first elevated in the frame and then turned to dump the contents of the car, and a girder extending lengthwise of the cradle at one side thereof and movable vertically with the cradle, said girderbeing guided by the f rame and having the cradle pivoted thereto.

7. In a lifting car dumper, a frame, a cradle adapted to receive a car and to be first elevated in the frame and then turned to dump the contents of the car, and a girder movable verticallyT with the cradle, said girded bei-ng guided by the frame and hav-v ing the cradle pivoted theretoat and intermediate its ends.

S. In a lifting` car dumper, a frame, a girder extending across the dumping side of the frame and guided by the frame for vertical movement, a cradle having an= upwardly extending side portion pivoted to Lea/free the girder and movable vertically with the girder and tiltable relative thereto to dump the, con-tents of the car, and lifting cables connected to thegirder. v

9. In a lifting car dumper, a frame, a girder extending across the dumping side of thel frame and guided by the frame fol vertical movement, a cradle pivoted to the girder and movable vertically ivith the girder and tiltabl-e relative thereto to dump the contentsofthe car, and cables connected to the girder and to the cradle, means for operating the cables to first lift the girder and cradle simultaneously and, then turn the cradle relative to the girder.

l0. In a car dumper of the lifting type, a frame, asupporting member adapted to be moved vertically in the frame, a cradle pivotect to the supporting member, and mea-ns adaptedto engage the supporting member for yieldingly checking the vertical movement of the cradle.

ll( In a car dumper having guide posts and cushioning cradle stops, a cradle adapted to receive a car and adapted to be moved vertically until the cushioning stops are engaged and then to be turned to dump the contents of the car.

l2. In a car dumper, a frame, a girder movable vertically in the frame, a cradle pivoted to the girder, means for lifting the girder and cradle and for then turning the cradle, and yieldable stops carried by the frame for limiting the vertical movement of the girder.

13. In a cardumper, a frame having corner posts with guideways, a girder having` side' and end thrust rollers engaging the guidevvays, a cradle pivoted to the girder. and means for first elevating the girder and cradle and for then turning the cradle relative to the girder.

14. In a lifting car dumper a frame having end posts providedwith vertical guide- Ways, a girder movable vertically in said guideuf'ays, stops in the frame having springl bumpers for limiting the upward movement of the girder, a cradle connected to the girder, and means for elevating the girder and cradle and for turning the cradle after-the stops are engaged by the girder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature.

ARTHUR l". CASE. 

